Intro price vs. renewal price: don't count yourself rich
Intro price and renewal price in hosting: what it's about
Many providers work with an offer price for new customers. That first price is displayed prominently on the site; the price that applies afterwards is often in the small print. The difference is legal and very common in the industry. It only becomes a problem if you don't see the second price coming.
You mainly see the principle in two places. With a domain name, the first year is sometimes deliberately priced low, while the renewal is at the standard rate. With a mailbox or hosting package, an intro discount ends after a number of months, after which the normal monthly amount kicks in. In both cases the core question is the same: what will I pay later, when the discount is over?
Intro price vs renewal price: the two prices side by side
It helps to look at the characteristics separately. The table below sets them side by side at the concept level, without names, because you'll come across this pattern with all kinds of services.
| Characteristic | Intro price | Renewal price |
|---|---|---|
| When | First year or first months | Every period after that |
| Purpose | Reeling in new customers | The real, ongoing rate |
| Where you find it | Prominent on the offer page | In the small print or invoice |
| Risk | You underestimate your total cost | A surprise at the first renewal |
| What counts | Nice bonus | This is what you pay in the long term |
In short: the intro price tells you something about today, the renewal price tells you something about the coming years. For a decision that lasts you years, that second price is the most important.
When is an intro discount okay
A low starting price isn't necessarily a trap. It's fine if you know in advance what the renewal costs and still find that amount reasonable. A few guidelines:
- Calculate with the renewal price, not the intro price. Multiply the real rate by the number of mailboxes and the years you'll probably use it. That's your actual cost.
- Add up all the items. Email is rarely one amount: there's a price per mailbox, a separate cost for your domain name, and sometimes setup or migration costs. An honest cost calculation for email hosting adds those items together.
- Watch out for automatic renewal. Many subscriptions renew automatically at the higher rate. Handy, as long as you know what will be charged then.
What to watch out for before you sign
You prevent most surprises with a few simple checks. On the site or in the terms, look explicitly for the word "renewal" or "after the first year". If that's not clearly stated, just ask. An honest provider tells you without hesitation.
Also mind what's included in the price. A low amount that later turns out to require mandatory extras is more expensive than it seems. And check whether you can leave easily: if you can take your domain with you and move your mailboxes, you're never stuck with a rate that quietly creeps up. That your address stays yours is one of the strong points of email on your own domain.
Our advice
Choose a price that means the same today and in three years' time. Better one clear rate you understand immediately than a teaser you regret later. That way you know exactly where you stand and never have to count yourself rich.
At Mailflux it therefore works deliberately simply: one clear price per mailbox, billed annually, with no temporary intro rate that shoots up later. You pay only for email, not for a full office suite full of tools you may never use. What you see is what you pay.
In short
The intro price is the teaser, the renewal price is the reality. Always calculate with the rate that applies after the discount, add up all the items (mailbox, domain, any setup), and check whether you can take your address with you. Read more about the total costs in what email hosting really costs.
Curious what exactly you pay with us, with no surprises afterwards? View our transparent prices: one amount per mailbox, that stays what it is.